The Baltimore Ravens’ offseason strategy is always a mystery. They keep things private, and rumors that do swirl around tend to be more misses than hits.
Their offseason is always centered around the draft. When they do attack in free agency, it’ll mostly be moves that fly under the radar that are used to fill out the rest of a strong roster. Things could change after hiring Jesse Minter and bringing in a young and hungry coaching staff, but general manager Eric DeCosta still calls the shots.
The big hits on the free agent and trade market come few and far between. The Ravens use the majority of their money on extensions, with the rest going towards veteran free agents and cheap contributors. That’s especially the case for the wide receiver position, and Sports Illustrated’s Gilberto Manzano and Matt Verderame believe Baltimore could follow that trend with Keenan Allen. They listed them as a landing spot for Allen.
“Allen almost went unsigned throughout the summer before finally landing in his old home with the Chargers. He proved to be a quality signing, catching 81 passes for 777 yards and four touchdowns. Despite being 33, Allen remains an excellent slot receiver who should have suitors looking to give him a decent one-year pact,” Verderame wrote.
Targeting Allen would certainly be a bit underwhelming and may be agonizing for the fanbase to watch their team take a shot at another wideout on the backend of his career.
Ravens possible Keenan Allen pairing would continue a maddening wide receiver trend
How many times do you have to take a chance on a receiver past his prime before realizing it just doesn’t work out for you? Jeremy Maclin, Michael Crabtree, Dez Bryant, DeSean Jackson, Odell Beckham Jr. These are all names who touched down in Baltimore late in their career, and failed to make much noise. Even DeAndre Hopkins, albeit playing in limited snaps last year, could be added to that frustrating list.
Sure, Allen still provides some sauce in the slot, totaling 777 yards in 2025 and 744 in 2024, but it’s clear he’s on the decline. Evidently, wide receivers starting to hit that downturn don’t exactly produce in Charm City.
The Ravens need some starpower next to two-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Zay Flowers. Allen could still be an effective option, but the trend of adding older weapons is getting…well, old. After last year, the front office should be looking for a more dynamic player with his best years still in front of him. The 2025 production of the receiving core was simply disappointing.
Flowers had a career year with 86 receptions, 1,211 yards, and six touchdowns. He should be even better under new offensive coordinator Declan Doyle, but outside of him, it was quiet. Way too quiet. The team’s second-leading receiver was tight end Mark Andrews, who had just 422 yards. Allen would be an upgrade, but how much of an upgrade? With those disastrous numbers, they need a significant upgrade.
Among those potential upgrades could be players like Jauan Jennings, Alec Pierce, and maybe even Romeo Doubs. It goes without saying that those options would cost a lot more than Allen, but given the Ravens are entering a new era, investing more in free agency could make sense. Jesse Minter also mentioned he’s looking to help build the best team around quarterback Lamar Jackson, and adding Jennings, Pierce, or Doubs would be doing just that.
Ultimately, Keenan Allen would make sense. He’s a safe target, but it may be time for Baltimore to shift their focus in order to win a Super Bowl.